


Matching Smiles and Matching Sweaters

by Springmagpies



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:15:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24914464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Springmagpies/pseuds/Springmagpies
Summary: After a life of adventures-and now a whole new adventure in parenting--Fitzsimmons have learned to enjoy the little things. Like being together, seeing their kids smile, and matching sweaters.
Relationships: Leo Fitz/Jemma Simmons
Comments: 18
Kudos: 60





	Matching Smiles and Matching Sweaters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AgentOfShip](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentOfShip/gifts).



> Happy birthday Sabrina!!! Thank you for being you. You're the absolute best! 🥳

In the days leading up to the birth of their daughter Fitz and Jemma had that classic bit of pure pre-parental panic. Their whole lives were about to change, and not in the way that Shield often changed it. There were no aliens; there was no time travel or Hydra or Chronicoms or monoliths. There were just diapers and cribs and a little baby girl. 

The terror didn’t go all the way away after little miss Maisie May Fitzsimmons had been born, or really even as she began to grow into her toddler stage. Fitz still woke up in the middle of the night, fear clenching at his heart, and tip-toed into the nursery to check on his daughter and Jemma was still working on the amount of times she inhaled sharply in a day. Every time Maisie toddled close to a piece of furniture or the gated stairs Jemma felt the urge to run over and move her away. Fitz wasn’t much better, and sometimes he was even worse.

As they got better at the whole parenting thing, so did they get better at controlling their nervousness. However, Maisie didn’t make it easy. She was curious, with big blue eyes that searched the world for its many mysteries and a little button nose that got close to as many insects and rocks and toys that she could, stating they needed investigating. And though she was gentle, she moved through the world at a pace that rivaled her aunty Elena. By the age of three, Maisie had no interest in walking places. She ran or skipped everywhere she went and when she was reminded to walk she slowed her pace to a slow-run. 

And then there was James. 

When James was born Fitz and Jemma prepared to be chasing after both their kids for the foreseeable future. And yet, James seemed to have no interest in running anywhere. He was equally as curious as Maisie, but his curiosity was quiet. Where Maisie dotted her investigations with “oohs” and “aahs” and “daddy look’s”, James waited until he understood before showing off his discovery. As Jemma put it, Maisie showed her process and James showed his result. 

Even with James as gentle as he was and Maisie as sweet as she could be, parenting was not an easy task. The Fitzsimmons family had two wonderful kids, kids they were extremely grateful for. But to say that parenting was smooth sailing would be one big fat giant lie. Some days were hard, such as the horror that was the stomach bug weekend or the hell week that had been the days leading up to Christmas. What had possessed Maisie to include throwing glitter in her tantrum they still didn’t know, but they were still finding it everywhere. 

And so, in the adventure that was parenting, Fitz and Jemma learned something pretty early on: take the wins. It was simple and yet they often forgot to do it. When the days got long and life got hard, it was easy to ignore the small wins. But when reminded, it made the world all the brighter. 

One of those small wins came one day in November when the Fitzsimmons family were getting dressed up for family portraits. 

“Why are we doing this again?” Fitz asked as he tried to get James into his nice new sweater. 

“To remember this stage of our life,” Jemma said. “And because there’s that big empty space in the hall that I want to fill with family pictures.”

Fitz looked over his shoulder at his wife to where she was sitting with their daughter in her lap, a picture book open in her hands. “So you’re saying I’m wrestling our son into a sweater as you try to keep Maisie from getting dirt on her dress for home decor purposes.”

Jemma shrugged. “Yeah. With the added bonus of getting you and James in matching sweaters.”

Fitz rolled his eyes at the very pleased look on Jemma’s face, but he couldn’t help but smile himself as he picked up their son from off of the changing table. 

“Do you like our matching sweaters, monkey?” Fitz asked their son, pulling down the sweater where it had ridden up. 

“Is itchy,” James mumbled. 

Fitz tucked his face close to his son’s. “I know buddy. Mine’s itchy too. Blame mummy.”

“Hey! The blue ones were the softest they had,” Jemma said, furrowing her brow.

“I thought they went with our eyes,” Fitz teased.

“Added bonus.”

Fitz smiled and turned to his son. “What color are my eyes, James?” 

The boy smiled. “Blue,” he said, covering Fitz’s eyes with his little hands. 

“And what color are yours?” he asked.

The boy brought his hands over his own face. “Blue!”

“And what about mine?” Maisie asked from the floor, looking up from her book. 

“Blue,” the boy said. He reached out for his sister, struggling against Fitz’s arms. Once he was put back down on the floor, he toddled over to his sister, coming to sit in her lap so that Jemma was crushed under the weight of both their children. 

“Between the two of you, your father, and Uncle Deke, I’m surrounded by blue eyed children,” Jemma said, shaking her head with a laugh. 

“Hey, don’t rope me in with Deke,” Fitz said, his hands coming to his sides. 

Jemma gave her husband a skeptical look. “Oh I’m sorry. Who got in an argument over who ate the last dino nugget again? Was it James and Maisie? I can’t recall.”

“There were twelve nuggets!” Fitz huffed, causing Jemma to let out a peal of laughter. “I only had three! Hunter said he only had his portion which means Deke took one of mine.”

“Children,” Jemma said, “actual children.”

“The argument was completely justified.”

“Tell that to our ketchup stained ceiling.”

Just then, the chime of the doorbell cut into Jemma’s laughter and Fitz’s continued humphs. Maisie and James, especially Maisie, found the doorbell the most exciting sound in the world. The moment the little bell sounds rang through the house, the two were off to the races. Even James, who was not one to run, couldn’t help but tumble towards the front door. 

That particular November day was an even more heightened response from the two young children as they knew who was on the other side of the door. 

“Uncle Deke is here!” Maisie shouted.

“Hey hey hey,” Jemma said as Maisie tried to launch herself up onto her feet, “careful of your brother.”

But at Maisie’s movements, James got up unsteadily before following his sister out of their bedroom. 

They could hear the sound of the door opening followed by Deke’s greeting and a stream of Maisie’s excited babble. 

While their children greeted Deke, Fitz helped Jemma up from the floor. He couldn’t help but notice the little excited smirk Jemma was wearing on her face.

“What’s that look about?” he asked as he wrapped his arm around her waist. 

“Oh nothing,” she shrugged. But the smile remained. 

As they rounded into the hallway, Fitz realized why. It wasn’t just James that Fitz was matching. 

“Hey Bobo,” Deke said, grinning from ear to ear. “Nice sweater.”

Fitz closed his eyes tight, his hand coming over his face. Jemma beamed. It was the little things in life. 


End file.
